Injured
by L122yTorch
Summary: Jim decides to go on a mission to retrieve hostages from a hostile planet; and leave Spock on the Enterprise. The captain returns with serious injuries and Spock begins to realize the depth of his emotions for Kirk.


Spock felt an uncomfortable sickness twisting in his stomach. His breathing and heart rate were accelerated and he stood behind Scotty with his hands clenched.

There was a melting pot of emotions beneath his cool Vulcan expression that threatened to bubble over. Anger, fear, distress. He breathed through the feelings, he reached out for the cold comfort of logic, but he couldn't seem to get a hold of it.

"Scotty," Kirk's strained voice filled the room. "Get me outta here!" The words were tinged with a hint of fear. Before the room fell silent, those present heard an uummphh.

"You're movin' too much!" Scotty shouted back. The communication sparked back to life. "It's hard to stand still when you're being attacked!" the frantic voice replied. "I've nearly got you…hang on!"

The air hung thick and tense as Scotty's skilled fingers reached into technology and tried to pull out Kirk.

"Gatcha!" he said triumphantly as beams of light swirled on the transport pad. With a thud Jim hit the surface, his back facing the audience of friends gathered in the room.

Spock rushed over to his captain. With a painful yelp, Kirk shifted his body so that he was lying on his back.

His starving lungs were heaving in air, his blue eyes wide with adrenaline and pain looked up at his science officer. "Spock," the words were charged. "Hey."

Spock's eyes immediately locked on to the knife-like weapon jutting from Jim's side. The sleek metal object was causing tiny streams of blood to trickle through the golden valleys of his shirt. As he stared at Spock, Jim could have sworn that he witnessed a moment of panic wash over the Vulcan's features.

"Get the doctor," Spock ordered over his shoulder.

Dark brown troubled eyes bored holes into Jim. "I still don't understand why you didn't take me on the mission to retrieve the hostages," Spock said quietly. He knelt closely to Jim, his hands resting on the transporter floor on either side of Jim. He felt the blood seeping through the fabric of his pants where his knees touched the ground.

His eyes wandered over his leader's bruised and bleeding body. There was another knife in Jim's upper thigh. "I'm glad I didn't," the words caused his gaze to snap up.

"And why is that?"

"Because," Jim said hoarsely, placing a hand on Spock's forearm, gripping lightly. "You're here, you're safe," he said, his tone relieved.

Spock's hard expression fell away and a rich warmth spread across his chest and knotted in his throat. He was caught off guard as Jim's hand traveled to his, a battered pinky finger, ring finger and thumb wrapped beneath Spock's hand on the floor. Before Spock could process what was happening, Jim's first two fingers pressed into the top of his wrist and travelled slowly and deliberately down the skin on the back of his hand, until they reached the end of Spock's first two fingers.

Intense feelings of desire and fondness sparked up Spock's spine. His mouth lips were parted, his heart beating furiously in his side. It shook against his ribcage as if it were trying to escape.

"We need to get 'em off the transport pad," Scotty said, breaking Spock's mental flurry of processing. Jim's hand was now resting on the floor, his face a twisted portrait of pain.

Jim attempted to prop himself up on his elbows but was slammed back down by a brick wall of sheer pain. He yelped and gripped the floor with white knuckles. "I can't stand Spock, you're going to have to get me off here." "That would require…" "Just do it," Kirk interrupted.

Spock anchored his balance and extended two lithe arms that scooped up Jim. "Hostages incoming," Scotty exclaimed as Spock carried Jim towards the door.

"Where is Dr. McCoy?" "He was stuck in surgery sir. Many of our medical personnel are occupied treating those injured in the battle." Spock sighed at the response and carried Kirk to the doors. Uhura attempted to follow.

"Please stay here and welcome the hostages," he said cooly. She nodded and Spock carried Jim out the doors and down the long white hallway.

Spock looked down at Jim, whose pain glossed eyes stared back up at him.

"Do you realize what you were doing with my hand?" Spock asked the man in his arms. The air from whizzing bypasses pushed his bangs up, his face looked focused and serious. "Yes," Jim answered.

"From where did you learn to do such a thing? To kiss as Vulcans kiss?"

Jim's eyes were slipping shut, they were almost to the medical bay. "We did it all the time," was Jim's reply.

"You are mistaken Jim, we have never done such a thing," the words dissipated into silence and Spock realized that Jim's head was now bobbing against his chest, unconscious.

His hair was matted with sweat and blood, his skin a rare pale tone that was far removed from its usual golden glow. The doors to the med bay flew open and Bones started towards them with two nurses.

Bones removed his blood stained garment and put on a fresh one. Technology buzzed around Jim, the severity of his wounds were analyzed and for a moment his eyes fluttered open once more. They searched hopelessly until they met with Spock. "You've got the comm," his feeble voice stated.

Spock gulped and used all of his mental focus not to crumble. "I have no desire to watch you die again," he said into the whizzing medical madness taking place around him. Jim attempted a smile, "me neither buddy."

Bones looked up at Spock. "You should get back to the comm Spock, I'll take care of Jim." Spock gave a slight nod and forced his feet towards the door. Once there he looked back at his captain. The hot white medical lights set his golden locks ablaze. His clothes were being stripped away to reveal a smattering of bruises and blood stains. The sparkling knives jutted from his side and thigh grotesquely.

Spock felt an intense anger similar to what he had experienced when Jim was dying in the radiation chamber. He felt like he was going to vomit or cry, but Jim had entrusted him with his ship and he had to remain stable in order to lead the crew.


End file.
